blackwelder



2 Sheets-Shawl.

(No Model.)

M. L. BLAOKWELDER.

ATTACHMENT FOR COTTON ems.

No. 369,977. Patented Sept. 13, 1887.

n vcul'oc 2. MW? 5 x @lll'or not (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. M. L. BLAGKWELDER.

ATTAGHMBNT FOR COTTON ems.

N0. 369,977. Patented Sept. 13, 1887.

av /$522M UNITED STATES PATENT Erica.

MANLY L. BLACKYVELDER, OF CONCORD, NORTH CAROLINA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO DANIEL R. HOOVER, OF SAME PLACE.

ATTACHMENT FOR COTTON-GINS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 369,977, dated September 13, 1887.

Application filed June 1,1887. Serial No. 239,978.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MANLY L. BLAOKWEL- DER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Concord, in the county of Cabarrus and State of North Carolina, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Attachments for Cotton-Gins, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to means for more to perfectly than heretofore mixing the seed-cot ton in a cotton-gin, for thereby more completely and quickly separating the seed from the cotton, due regard being had to the prevention of a wasteful shortening of the staples of the cotton by the action of the saws in a cotton-gin of that character.

The invention consists of a comb arranged in the mouth of the roll box or hopper so as to project into the roll of cotton in the said roll box or hopper between the paths of the saws, to stir up the cotton and throw fresh cotton across the path of the saws before the roll, having once passed the saws, again comes in contact therewith, the construction and oper- 2 5 ation being substantially as hereinafter more particularly set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, in the several figures of which like parts are similarly designated, Figure 1 is a vertical section of an ordinary form of cotton-gin supplied with my invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation ofa portion of the same, with parts of the front broken away. Fig. 3 is a bottom View of my comb, and Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the same,

3 5 showing the teeth, however, in elevation.

The frame a, saws Z), mounted on shaft 0, having its bearings in the frame, the strippingbrnsh (I, mounted upon shaft 0, also having its bearings in the frame, and suitable driving 0 mechanism for these parts, arranged.substantially as indicated in Fig. 1, may be of any approved construction. So, also, the concave f, front 9, seed-discharge h, and the rods or bars t, forming the breast, and all constituting 5 the hopper or roll-box, may be of ordinary construction and arrangement.

The cotton is fed to the hopper or roll-box through the mouth j. In the mouth j, and on the frame a or concave f, I arrange my comb,

(No model.)

(herein designated generally by the letter 70.) This comb is composed of the back plate, Land two comb backs or carriers, m and n. These comb-carriers m and n are adj ustably secured to the back plate, Z, by bolts 0, passed through slots 1) in the back plate, openings q in the comb back or carrier m, and slots in the comb-back a, thumb-nuts .9 being used to secure the bolts and bind the comb backs or carriers firmly in position. These bolts will be, for convenience, two in number, and arranged near opposite ends of the comb 70. In order that the comb backs or carriers may be adjusted evenly at each end, I provide graduations or gage-marks on the comb-carriers, which register with an index on the back 6 plate. (See Fig. 1.)

The comb backs or carriers m and n are provided,respectively,with series of teeth or fill-- gerst and a, the latter being about two-thirds longer than the former. I prefer to attach the teeth It to the rear of the comb back or carrier m, and to attach the teeth a to the front or face of the comb back or carrier at. Preferably, these teeth are struck up or cut from a sheet or plate of steel and given a twist, so as to bring an 5 edge to the front. The teeth 15 and u are, by preference, twisted in opposite directions, as clearly indicated in the drawings. These teeth 15 and u are arranged in alternation with respect to each other, and, furthermore, the so two series of teeth t and to alternate with the series of saws b, so that each saw and each tooth lies in a different plane from all the others.

By means of the bolts 0 and their arrange- 8'5 ment in the comb backs or carriers and back plate either or both of the series of comb-teeth may be rendered inoperative, as may be required, without stopping the operation of the gin. 0

Broadly stated, the function of the teeth t and u is to cut or comb the roll of cotton. As

has been noted, these teeth are out of alignment with the saws, and hence engage the cotton at points not touched by but between 5 the saws. In this way the teeth spread or distribute the uncut cotton laterally by rcason of their twist, and throw it into the path of the saws, so as to present fresh portions of cotton to the saws all the time. By giving to the two series of teeth a twist in opposite directions it will be observed that the cotton engaged by the teeth 15 will be thrown one way, while the cotton engaged by the teeth at will be thrown in the opposite direction and be thoroughly mixed, and the mass of cotton in the roll insured a presentation to the saws.

Acomb with one set of teeth will distribute the cotton very effectively; but the efficiency of the comb will be increased by the employment of a second set of teeth alternating with the first and entering the roll at different depths, so as to stir it up more thoroughly and prevent its fibers from massing, one set of teeth crossing the fibers to the other, and hence I prefer to use two sets of teeth of different lengths in my comb.

It will be observed that the series of teeth at project farther into the cotton roll than the teeth- 15, and so stir up the cotton roll to a greater depth.

Where the cotton roll is hollow-and it is thus formed in some classes'of cotton-gins by the action of the sawsthe constant travel of the saws in a given path occasions a breaking down of the roll; but this is obviated by the employment of my comb, fortheteeth of the comb constantly breaking up and thoroughly mixing the outer portion of the roll present new lint to the saws all the time. The hollow formation of the cotton roll is due simply to the rotation of the cotton in the hopper by means of the saws.

It should be noted that either of the comb backs or carriers is adjustable independently of the other, and that both may be adjusted together. The adj ustability of the combs is useful in obtaining a proper mixing of the cotton conformably with its condition for example, only one comb would be used when the cotton is anywise damp.

As already indicated, the longer teeth sustain the cotton roll from breaking. It should also be noted that by twisting the cotton by means of this comb the saws cut cotton all the time, instead of cutting through the seed, as heretofore.

My comb is applicable to any form of saw g It has been previously stated herein that the teeth are preferably struck up from a sheet of steel; but I do not limit my invention to such construction, for the teeth may be made as separate structures, cast or otherwise produced, and fastened to the comb-backs by any suitable devices-such as screws.

Heretofore a cotton-gin (Porters Patent No. 85,128) had applied in its roll-box a laterallyvibrating series of guiding-strips, which, it is said, take into the mass of cotton sufficient to give it a corresponding lateral movement,

whereby all of it receives a uniform action from the saws, the seeds are more thoroughly separated, and the fiber much more evenly dressed than is the case when the said lateral movement is not imparted to it; but, obviously, this device did not penetrate the mass nor stir it up from the interior or depths of the cottonroll, as is the case with my invention. On the contrary, it simply entered the cotton roll, if at all, to a depth onlysufficient to give it the merest superficial hold upon the, roll, and the roll was thus moved laterally to and fro by a bodily movement. In my invention the comb-teeth, by penetrating the cotton roll, agitate the mass of cotton, and thus constantly change and shift the fibers for action by the saws.

I do not broadly claim, first, the combination, with the roll-box, saws, and ribs of a cotton-gin, of a bar provided with pins projecting into the interior of the roll-box and alternating with the saws and adapted to enter the roll of cotton in the said box and loosen and spread the fiber of the said roll; second, the combination, with the saws, ribs, and roll-box of a cotton-gin, of a transverse bar having rows of alternating pins projecting into the roll-box to engage and enter the roll of cotton therein, and set-screws engaging the bar and roll-box for adjusting the bar and causing the pins to project more or less into the box.

What I claim is- -1. A back plate, a comb back or carrier,

and a series of twisted teeth connected to said comb back or carrier, and means, substantially as set forth, for adjustably connecting the comb-back to the back plate, substantially as specified.

2. A back plate, a plurality of comb backs or carriers, teeth or fingers applied to said comb backs or carriers, and means, substantially as described, for adjustably attaching the said comb-backs to the back plate, substantially as specified.

3. A back plate, a plurality of comb-carriers, teeth or fingers applied to said comb-' carriers, means, substantially as described, for adjusting the comb-carriers relatively to each other and to the back plate, and gages applied to the said back plate and comb-carriers to secure uniformity in such adjustment, substantially as specified.

4. A back plate, a plurality of comb-carriers, and means to secure them to each other, combined with a series of teeth or fingers for each comb-carrier, alternate series of teeth being twisted in opposite directions, substan tially as described.

5. Theback plate, two comb backs or car- 8. The frame, saws, and hopper of a cottongin, combined with a comb having series of twisted teeth or fingers arranged in alternation with the saws, substantially as described. 15

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 31st day of May, A. D. 1887.

M. L. BL AOKWELDER.

Witnesses:

W. W. STUART, D. B. MORRISON. 

